The marriage of the DickinsonSchoolofLaw and PennState University was not made in heaven. In fact, it began unraveling not long after it was consummated in 2000. Blame the usual dynamics of marital discord: jealousy, misunderstanding, hidden intentions, charges of non-support.

Basically, the law school was looking for a secure future. PennState was looking for a law school. The relationship soured when it became evident PennState actual ly wanted the law school on its main campus in State College. Though the uni versity offered a compromise that would keep a second, somewhat smaller law school campus in Carlisle, the law school's board of governors rejected PennState's two-campus proposal and thus went the marriage.

Now comes a plan that permits both parties to extricate themselves from their uncomfortable relationship, and from a source that strikes us as surprising.

PennState says it would be inclined to cede the DickinsonSchoolofLaw to its unrelated neighbor, Dickinson College. The deal would hinge on settling up with PennState on the $8.5 million it has invested in the law school since the merger and a $4 million loan.

The transfer also would require approval by the law school's board.

This idea makes infinitely more sense than the PennState- Dickinson Law merger. In fact, we wonder why it was not seriously advanced as an alternative. Dickinson College and Dickinson Law are separate institutions, but they occupy adjacent campuses and have similar interests in meeting the academic needs of the future.

Dickinson College, founded in 1783, is one of the leading liberal arts institutions in the nation. The DickinsonSchoolofLaw, founded in 1834, is the oldest law school in Pennsylvania. It was part of the college until becoming independent in 1914, but in recent years the school has fallen in the shadow of more prestigious law schools. One of PennState's big selling points for acquiring Dickinson Law was that it would make the investment necessary to make Dickinson Law a national leader.

But when it became apparent that PennState believed a law school on its main campus would serve as a stronger magnet for aspiring lawyers with specialties in other academic fields -- leaving remote Dickinson with its general law and government law programs -- the Dickinson Law interests saw themselves at a disadvantage.
An affiliated Dickinson College and Dickinson Law would establish a more substantial academic presence in Central Pennsylvania, not quite on the scale of PennState's many branches and disciplines, but substantial and future-oriented, nonetheless.

This is not a matter to be approached haphazardly, considering it will remarkably affect the roles of both institutions, but it strikes us as a logical next step, certainly more sensible than PennState's grand plan for a two-campus law school divided by mission and miles.

Dickinsons courting a return to old days ; Law school began as a department of college in Carlisle

ELIZABETH GIBSON

Of The Patriot-News

If Dickinson College merges with The DickinsonSchoolofLaw, the law school would have to regain its academic accreditation and hire a new dean. "If an affiliation were to occur ... Dean [Philip] McConnaughay would step down to allow the college to appoint its own dean," law school spokeswoman Kelly Jones said.

American Bar Association spokeswoman Nancy Slonin said the law school would initially operate on a provisional basis.

According to Bar Association guidelines, it would take the law school a year or two to regain its accreditation.

The university and Dickinson College announced last week they were discussing the idea of a merger between the Carlisle institutions.

But with no timeline for negotiations or process set between PennState University and Dickinson College, a Dickinson-Dickinson merger could be months or years away -- if at all.

"At this point, Dickinson law school is still a part of PennState. Officially, there are mutual loyalties," said LeRoy Zimmerman, chairman of the law school's board of governors.

Law school and college alumnus Sid Kline Jr., a college emeritus trustee and a member of the law school board of governors, said a union ?has the potential to be a win-win situation for both institutions.??

John Curley, chairman of the Dickinson College trustees, and other college and law school officials point to other private liberal arts colleges that have their own law schools -- Willamette University in Oregon and Washington and Lee University in Lexington, for example -- as models for a successful Dickinson-Dickinson union.

No doubt, though, if the college were to acquire the law school, it would have to launch a multimillion-dollar renovation of law facilities.

"There's sort of a checklist of things we have to look at ... how it would work without hurting the college," said Curley, a PennState journalism professor and former Gannett Co. CEO.

But already law school students are troubled by the uncertainty of their school's future. "It's totally up in the air," said Jason Evans, a student.

Evans fears that if the two Dickinson namesakes merge, PennState would likely establish its own law school and compete for the student pool.

"Nobody's going to end up happy in this," Evans said.

PennState spokesman Steve MacCarthy said the university has not ruled out that option, but has no immediate plans to establish a law school.

In 1997, when PennState announced its merger with the law school, President Graham Spanier said the acquisition filled a void. He said PennState preferred to take over a law school rather than build its own.

Last fall, PennState proposed moving the law school to State College, partly to boost its national rankings and increase academic choices for students. PennState later suggested renovating the Carlisle law campus and opening a second law campus in University Park. If the idea failed, PennState would still improve the Carlisle campus.

The law school board of governors, which doesn't run the law school but can veto any plan to move it or change its name, last month rejected the second campus idea.

The cross-curriculum opportunities PennState wanted for law students could be offered at the smaller Dickinson College, college and PennState officials said.

The college and law school already have ties.

The law school opened as a college department and then became independent. Even after merging with PennState, the law school continued its college connections. The schools offer a program letting students earn undergraduate and law degrees in six years instead of seven.

Robert M. Frey, an alumnus of both schools, said that in the event of a split, law students would likely be able to continue earning joint degrees at PennState Harrisburg.

A former chairman of the law school trustees, Frey was pivotal in the PennState merger.

Now, he may see it unravel. But a Dickinson-Dickinson merger is "an interesting proposition [that] may well work out," he said.

ELIZABETH GIBSON: 249-2006 or egibson@patriot-news.com INFOBOX:

OPEN DISCUSSION

* The DickinsonSchoolofLaw's board of governors will discuss a Dickinson College/law school merger publicly. The meetings, once closed, opened under an amendment to the state Sunshine Act.

* The Legislature said the board is affiliated with a public university and should be subject to the act. It's unclear if a merger would again close board meetings.

* The Patriot-News and The Sentinel of Carlisle had tried to force open board meetings and won their case in Cumberland County Court but Commonwealth Court overturned the decision. An appeal was dismissed.

UNIVERSITY PARK PennState and The DickinsonSchoolofLaw might end their relationship, following an unsuccessful attempt to expand the law school to include a University Park campus.

PennState issued a statement Friday saying the two institutions are looking into severing their seven-year-old affiliation and creating a partnership between the law school and Dickinson College, the law school's neighbor in Carlisle.

The announcement came as the PennState board of trustees met to, among other things, approve a university budget request to the state for $344.8 million, including $10 million specifically for the PennState Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

An affiliation between Dickinson College and the law school would address Carlisle residents' concerns about keeping the school in town and would provide the law school with the benefits of a larger institution, PennState spokesman Bill Mahon said.

"It's a mutual decision, really," he said. "We think it makes some sense for Carlisle. Clearly, many of the board of governors felt it's important to have one location and have that location in Carlisle. We have seen the trend in higher legal education, clearly, overwhelmingly, is to have law schools affiliated with larger institutions so that students and faculty can get involved in interdisciplinary studies and research."

If, after examination, the affiliation is deemed sound, Dickinson College would begin negotiations with PennState, she said.

PennState and The DickinsonSchoolofLaw began the process of affiliation with PennState in 1997 and became fully affiliated three years later. Though Dickinson College and the law school are located next to each other and have had close ties, they have operated as separate entities for at least the past 90 years.

The law school's board of governors would have to give its approval for the change to occur. Board Chairman LeRoy S. Zimmerman said he learned of the discussions only recently and wanted more details before weighing in.

"Certainly Dickinson College has an outstanding reputation as a liberal arts college. And there is a lot of history as well as proximity that would be a positive. But there are plenty of issues to discuss before anyone wants to enter into a second marriage," Zimmerman said.

The move comes about a month after the law school's board of governors voted to table a PennState proposal to open a second law school campus at University Park and renovate the Carlisle campus. Instead, the law school's board of governors voted to work with the university to improve the Carlisle campus at an estimated cost of $50 million. PennState had offered to pay $60 million to build a law school facility at University Park. The dual-campus proposal was put forth after an administrative proposal to move the law school to University Park and keep a satellite campus in Carlisle met with strong opposition.

University officials had argued that having a law school at University Park would improve Dickinson's rankings, help it attract top faculty and students, and address a lack of space in Carlisle.

Speaking to the board of trustees Friday, PennState President Graham Spanier said the university viewed the board of governors' decision to table the dual-campus proposal as a rejection.

PennState, as part of the proposal, wanted to reserve the right to close the Carlisle campus or turn it back over to the law school if, at some point after 10 years, the two-campus setup wasn't working. The board of governors opposed that plan.

Spanier also made a presentation of the university's request for state appropriations for the upcoming fiscal year to the board of trustees. The university is asking the state to restore its funding level to the $334.8 million it received in 2001-02 and add $10 million for the medical school.

Spanier said that if the state comes through with the requested $344.8 million, students who are residents of Pennsylvania would see a 5.8 percent tuition increase in 2005-06.

"Our overriding philosophy has been to be as frugal as we can but to maintain quality," Spanier said.

If the appropriation is lower than the requested amount, the tuition increase could be greater.

"State support is crucial for curbing tuition raises at PennState," said Galen Foulke, president of the Undergraduate Student Government.

Anne Danahy can be reached at 231-4648. CDT reporter Chris Rosenblum and The Associated Press contributed to this article.

One month after its plans for The DickinsonSchoolofLaw collapsed, PennState University may end its affiliation with the school and hand it over to Dickinson College. The university and Dickinson College announced yesterday they are discussing the idea of a merger between the Carlisle institutions. No timeline is established for making a decision.

Although they bear the same name and have adjacent campuses in Carlisle, the law school and Dickinson College have not been affiliated for 90 years.

The proximity of the campus and its history and commitment to the Carlisle community, however, prompted Dickinson College to consider the merger, said spokeswoman Christine Dugan.

College President William Durden referred a call to his office to Dugan. Dugan said, "It's still so preliminary that there's not really a lot of specifics that we can discuss."

Last month, the law school board of governors rejected an offer from PennState to build a second campus in State College.

A merger would be a radical change for Dickinson College, Dugan said.

"The law school would alter our identity significantly," Dugan said. "So we have to carefully consider our mission and how this opportunity fits into our mission."

LeRoy Zimmerman, chairman of the law school's board of governors, said he has not participated in any discussion to dissolve the merger with PennState. He said he learned about it through a telephone call yesterday morning from law school dean Philip McConnaughay.

"It sounds very interesting," Zimmerman said. "But there are still a lot of issues that need to be discussed."

Among them is PennState's nearly $8.5 million investment in the law school since the two merged in 1997. There is also the $4 million loan, which the law school promised to pay back.

An agreement between PennState and Dickinson College would also require the support of the law school's board. But Zimmerman said the move would likely require court approval, as was the case when the law school merged with PennState.

During a briefing to university trustees yesterday about the law school's decision to spurn PennState's offer to build a second campus in State College, PennState President Graham Spanier made no mention of a possible PennState-Dickinson Law School dissolution.

Instead, he spoke of the vision that the university had for a dual-campus law school. PennState wanted to create an alternative to Dickinson's general law and government law emphasis by establishing a campus in State College for law students looking for interdisciplinary course offerings, joint degrees and access to resources of a research university.
The second campus was intended to raise the law school's national rankings and enhance its appeal to top-notch students. The university offered to spend $60 million to build the second campus.

After the law school turned down that offer, the law school board passed a resolution to plan for a $50 million law school to be built in Carlisle by 2008. PennState promised to kick in up to $10 million and Gov. Ed Rendell committed $25 million, leaving the law school with $15 million to raise.

That $10 million pledge from the university was repeated during the trustees' meeting, along with a mention of coming back later with more definitive construction plans for the law school upgrade.

"We now must move forward and consider a future for the law school that will best serve future law students," Spanier told trustees.

He went on to say some law school faculty and staff were thinking about leaving their positions as a result of the law school board's decision to keep the school in its entirety in Carlisle. "I would urge them to allow us the time to chart the future course of the law school and other companion programs at PennState," he told trustees.

Spanier could not be reached for comment after the announcement about the discussions with Dickinson College. Bill Mahon, university spokesman, said it's too early to discuss whether PennState might start a law school at State College.

"This would not preclude it," he said. "We've had that option for 150 years, but we don't have any plans at the time being."

Zimmerman said that since the law school's merger with PennState, issues have arisen as to "whether or not either institution was totally happy with the whole arrangement. But this opportunity [with Dickinson College] could provide a win-win situation."

He added: "At first blush, the issue of the name and location immediately go away. There are positives right there. ... But there are always issues that have to be discussed carefully before a second marriage."

Zimmerman spread the word to law school board members yesterday afternoon. But not all of them had checked their e-mail by the time the announcement was made public.

Law school board member Jason Kutulakis was caught by surprise. "It's quite a shock, actually," he said.

Kutulakis said he was intrigued by the idea, saying the college and the law school share the same historical philosophy and longstanding ties to the community.

"It's an exciting possibility," he said. "It's refreshing to see someone else that wants to make DickinsonSchoolofLaw the best it can be."

Carlisle officials also welcomed the opportunity.

"It could be very good in the long run," said state Sen. Hal Mowery, R-Cumberland. "I don't really think PennState really wanted it that bad, after finding out there was a big push in the community to want to keep it here."

Moreover, Dickinson "ranks very high among independent colleges, not just in Pennsylvania, but nationally," said Mowery, a Dickinson College graduate. He said that could help boost the law school's ranking.

Carlisle Mayor Kirk Wilson said a college-law school merger was possibly the best possible outcome.

"It is an excellent opportunity," Wilson said. "The type of commitment Bill Durden has made will cross over to the law school. I honestly feel that with Durden it can become a much better institution and be more highly recognized than under the tutelage of PennState."

"From a community standpoint, I don't think we could have a better situation," said Carlisle Borough Council President Frank Rankin. "Dickinson College has proven over the years to be a substantial and a very important part of the community and a key partner in the community. The fact they are willing to entertain acquiring the law school just gives me positive feelings."

This would not be the first time a PennState expansion hasn't gone according to plan.

In 1997, PennState Milton S. Hershey Medical Center merged with Danville-based Geisinger Medical Center to become PennState Geisinger Health System, a system that covered much of central Pennsylvania.

But within two years, officials were negotiating the division of the two entities. They finally split in the summer of 2000 in a court settlement that cost PennState $116.5 million. Staff writers Dan Miller and Joe Elias and The Associated Press contributed to this article. JAN MURPHY: 232-0668 or jmurphy@patriot- news.com INFOBOX: PENNSTATEDICKINSONSCHOOLOFLAW

* Founded: In 1834, the oldest law school in Pennsylvania and the fifth oldest in the nation.

* Enrollment: 627

* Campus: Centered around one main building, Trickett Hall, in Carlisle.

* Graduates include: U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum and Sylvia H. Rambo, the first woman to serve as chief judge of U.S. Middle District Court. DICKINSON COLLEGE

* Chartered: In 1783, the first college chartered in the newly recognized United States of America.

* Enrollment: 2,224 full-time students.

* Campus: 115 acres in Carlisle.

* Budget: $91 million. The value of the endowment was $154 million. TIMELINE

* The DickinsonSchoolofLaw became fully independent from Dickinson College in 1914. It be came affiliated with PennState University in 1997 and merged with PennState three years later.

* PennState last year proposed the establishment of a second campus of the law school on the State College campus of PennState in an effort to give students more curriculum opportunities and boost Dickinson's admissions and national ranking.

* Dickinson's board of governors last month voted to defer PennState's proposal to build the State College campus. The 170-year- old school was instead to embark on a $50 million campus upgrade centered around Trickett Hall.
* Yesterday, PennState and Dickinson College officials announced they are exploring whether to turn the law school over to Dickinson College.

HARRISBURG Pennsylvania State University and Dickinson College said yesterday that they have begun negotiating a possible transfer of affiliation for DickinsonSchoolofLaw from the university to the college.

Despite having the same name and a location beside each other in Carlisle, Dickinson College and DickinsonSchoolofLaw have been separate entities for at least 90 years. The 600-student law school began the process of affiliation with PennState in 1997 and became fully affiliated three years later.

Any deal would require the approval of the law school's governing board, which retained control over the name and location of the law school after the merger with PennState.

HARRISBURG PennState University said yesterday that it has begun negotiating with Dickinson College about a possible transfer of DickinsonSchoolofLaw from the university in State College to the Carlisle college.

Dickinson College and DickinsonSchoolofLaw were affiliated before the law school became independent in 1914. The law school became affiliated with PennState in 1997, a process completed in 2000.

Earlier this year, the law school's governing board began to consider a move to State College or the prospect of operating a split campus.

Dickinson College spokeswoman Christine Dugan said discussions were in preliminary stages but the transfer offered some obvious advantages, namely "the historic affinity between the law school and the college, our proximity and our commitment to the Carlisle community."

Dugan said the college will have to determine whether operating the law school will adversely affect its function as a college, and consider the cost and funding for renovations to law school buildings.

"I know it's up in the tens of millions (of dollars)," she said. "I don't know exactly. That will obviously be part of the exercise."

PennState released a statement saying that Dickinson College could help the law school establish cross-disciplinary classes and that a transfer would keep the law school in Carlisle.

Any deal would require approval by the law school's governing board. Gov. Ed Rendell has committed up to $25 million in state matching funds to renovate the law school if it stays in Carlisle, according to PennState.

Friday, September 17, 2004

PennState in talks on transferring Dickinson Law School to Dickinson College

The Associated Press

HARRISBURG PennState said today that it has begun negotiating with Dickinson College about a possible transfer of The DickinsonSchoolofLaw.

Dickinson College and The DickinsonSchoolofLaw were affiliated before the law school became independent in 1914. The law school became affiliated with PennState in 1997, a process completed in 2000.

Earlier this year, the law school's governing board began to consider a move to State College or the prospect of operating a split campus.

Dickinson College spokeswoman Christine Dugan said discussions were in preliminary stages but the transfer offered some obvious advantages, namely "the historic affinity between the law school and the college, our proximity and our commitment to the Carlisle community."

Dugan said the college will have to determine whether operating the law school will adversely affect its function as a college, and consider the cost and funding for renovations to law school buildings.

"I know it's up in the tens of millions (of dollars)," she said. "I don't know exactly -- that will obviously be part of the exercise."

PennState released a statement saying that Dickinson College could help the law school establish cross-disciplinary classes and that a transfer would keep the law school in Carlisle.

Any deal would require approval by the law school's governing board, which retained control over the name and location of the law school after the merger with PennState. Gov. Ed Rendell has committed up to $25 million in state matching funds to renovate the law school if it stays in Carlisle, according to PennState.